At the markets stall, Ariadne noticed Jason was looking at the various things with a far-off look in his eyes. She ignored this, reasoning he ws probably tired. When he'd come home it had been midnight. Finally, at a sorrowful sigh that was loudly released, she turned to him. "What is it?"

"We kissed."

Ariadne nearly dropped the brass candlestick she'd been examining.

"Did you talk to him?" Korinna asked eagerly. She had been bursting to go into the prince's chambers from the moment she'd entered the palace, but had refrained from doing so because she knew he'd be tired. Now she gazed at him, her large brown eyes gleaming.

"I did. He wants me, Korinna."

"Well, you want him, do you not?"

"I do."

"So, why is there a problem?"

"Heptarian. He wants me too."

Korinna's mouth dropped open. This was a tangled web indeed. She never thought that Heptarian would want Pythagoras in that way and yet now the proof was staring her in the eyes.

"I want Jason. He's different, special. But I don't want to hurt Heptarian, becuase he's my friend. What do I do, Korinna?"

"I don't know." The serving girl admitted. "Maybe it'll turn out for the best. Try and think well and hopefully the gods will smile on you and Jason."

"At least you know he feels the same." Ariadne told him, looking up from her embroidery.

"Yes. All I have to do now is face what appears to be a lunatic in this Pankration."

"You saw the Oracle. What did she tell you?"

"That I will lose, but I will live and someone who loves Pythagoras will hurt him."

Ariadne frowned. "It doesn't seem a good omen, does it?"

"It doesn't, but I made a promise to fight for him and I will."

"This 'lunatic'. What was his name, did you hear?"

"Lord Heptarian."

Ariadne drew in her breath sharply. Heptarian had never lost a fight in all the years he'd been in the Pankrations. He had a perfect record, winning hundreds of fights whether they were Pankrations or something else, and Jason... By the gods. He needed help.

Several hours later, Ariadne had found Hercules and dragged both him and Jason off to an abandoned courtyard.

"Why are we here?" Jason asked, looking around.

"You need to learn to fight."

Jason sputtered. "I know how to fight!"

"Very well. Attack me." Ariadne challenged.

Jason shrugged, deciding it wouldn't cause any harm and lunged towards her. Seconds later, he was on his back and Ariadne was shaking her head at him.

"If you call that fighting, you'll be killed the moment you face your first opponent." She took a small silver knife she had tucked into her belt and inserted it into the crumbly earth.

"You have to fight her-" Hercules began.

"Or you." Ariadne pointed out.

"-To get the knife first. Only rules are no biting or eye-gouging."

"Right." Jason hauled himself to his feet and faced the young woman again. He ran towards her as though he was going to get her into a chokehold (hough not a hard one, of course), planning to tackle her to the ground by catching her round the middle. She ducked down at the same moment he did and they tumbled into a heap on the ground.

"Slight improvement." Ariadne mumbled. She pushed at him. "Get off me."

Doing so, he looked at her to make sure she wasn't bruised or cut. "Are you alright?"

"Jason, forget I'm a woman for a moment, would you?"

"I don't know what you-"

"I can fight and I can certainly survive getting tackled to the ground."

"Right. Sorry."

She eyed him, and got into her fighting stance. "Don't worry. Let's go again."

By the time dusk fell, Ariadne had beaten him to the knife everytime. Even Hercules had. Jason was starting to despair.

"I'm sorry. I.."

"Don't say that. You've never done this before and you have four months left." Ariadne told him firmly, though she tenderly touched his shoulder. "We should be going back now, it's getting dark and it won't do you any good to exhaust yourself."

Noticing Jason was quiet, Ariadne had a sudden idea. "Do you want to go to the baths?"

"Baths?" Jason was rather far away. He knew he had time, he knew he wasn't bad at fighting, but he felt like a failure for not picking up things.

"Yes. They're wonderful, Jason. Have you not been to any baths before?"

"I haven't, no."

"Come on, I'll take you to your first." Ariadne slipped her hand into his and led him from the direction of the tavern that they'd been going. Apparently Hercules hadn't spent enough time in there today.

The baths were glorious. A vast building made of swirling marble, beautiful detailed paintings of gods, goddesses, families. Large metallic statues of lions stood by the walls, water steaming and clean pouring from their open mouths. A large, turquoise circular pool with large steps in the water leading down to a swimming area for those who wished the exercise lay in the middle of the room. There were little doorways leading off where, Ariadne told him, one could get massages with beautiful, scented oils.

In the changing rooms, Jason was instructed to leave his clothes on a small bench. This would be his bench alone and he could return to his items when he was finished. A white, soft towel was provided and he tucked it around his waist. He remembered that people were very open with their bodies in this century, which he didn't really mind, but he felt embarrassed, knowing anyone could see his manhood. He tried to ignore this fact as he walked to where Ariadne said they'd meet. He didn't want to seem too strange, after all.

When she emerged from the women's changing rooms, he had to look up. Apparently the women went shirtless too. If she saw he wasn't looking too comfortable about being near a half-naked woman, she didn't say anything, but she smiled brightly and gestured at a person standing next to her.

"I found Korinna!"

"It was a very long day today." Korinna explained. "So I thought I'd treat myself."

"Hi." Jason greeted.

"Shall we go into the pool first?" Korinna enquired.

Ariadne nodded in agreement. "I think so, it's the nicest thing in the baths."

Jason sighed in relaxation as the warm, soft water caressed his aching muscles. He'd left his towel on a table nearby and, out of modesty, rushed to the poolside. The two women were much more relaxed about their bodies and didn't care if anyone saw them. 'Well, they have grown up in this time', Jason thought, 'so they wouldn't mind being naked in front of other people.'
God, this felt nice. It didn't smell of chlorine either, which he found a blessing.

"Does Pythagoras ever come down here?"

Ariadne and Korinna exchanged a look. "Well," Ariadne began, unsure of what to say. "He's very..umm..modest with his body."

"Why?"

"His father from Samos wasn't very pleasant." Korinna finished for Ariadne. "Horrible bastard."

"He was a drunk." Ariadne explained, seeing Jason's look of curiosity. "But we don't talk about him."

"Is he still alive?"

"Death would be too good for him." Korinna muttered, a look of anger clouding her normally gentle features. "But we don't know. Maybe he is, maybe he isn't. But you must never mention him to Pythagoras."

"I won't." Jason promised. A mental image spread in his mind, of a young, scared child getting hurt by a angry, tall man. He shivered. Thank the gods for Minos and Joya.

"What about his mother?"

Korinna sighed. "It must have broke her heart when she gave him to Joya. But she did it for the best."

"She was a mother in the truest sense of the word. Strong, caring, protective and loving. But it hurts both the prince and the queen to talk about her." Ariadne told him,smiling slightly sadly.

"He got lucky when Minos and Joya came."

"We all did." Korinna murmured.

"You love him." Jason said to her, slightly amused.

"Not as much as you!" Korinna retorted.

"Did you tell her?" Jason asked Ariadne.

"No, Pythagoras told me!"

"He told you?"

"He tells me everything." Korinna replied, a hint of smugness in her voice.

"What else has he told you?" Jason asked, trying to ignore the painful blush creeping on his face.

"That he loves you more than anyone he's ever known," Korinna answered solemnly, "and that he prays that you will get him."

Reviews are welcome! Hope this was enjoyed! xx